


The tube is where all good and life threatening friendships are made

by quinjjet



Category: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Bobbi is close with Fitz because I want to, F/M, Fitz is a Badass, I changed my mind lmao, Jemma isn't SHIELD, Post-Season/Series 04, They're all most wanted, not jemma, post framework, the Tube, yoyo DOES exist
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-12-05
Updated: 2020-12-18
Packaged: 2021-03-09 21:40:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 5,696
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27893206
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/quinjjet/pseuds/quinjjet
Summary: Post Season *fourFitz is sent undercover to get intel on a suspicious businessman. At the end of the month long operation, he meets a girl while taking the London Underground, Things spiral from there.------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------(The whole space thing still happened, and Hydra!Fitz has been dealt with, mostly, through therapy with May so Fitz just uses it for missions- plus it wouldn't be my fic without a dash of the Framework- , Bobbie and Hunter are here because I miss them, and the Tube is only in the first chapter)
Relationships: Leo Fitz & Alphonso "Mack" Mackenzie, Leo Fitz & Bobbi Morse, Leo Fitz & Jemma Simmons & Skye | Daisy Johnson, Leo Fitz & Skye | Daisy Johnson, Leo Fitz/Jemma Simmons, Phil Coulson & Leo Fitz, Phil Coulson/ Melinda May if you squint
Comments: 17
Kudos: 25





	1. Chapter 1

He sighed and kicked the chair in front of him. This wasn’t how this mission was supposed to go. 

He was supposed to be tracking Mr. Richard Gorkey at his cocktail dinner, flirting with his wife to gain intel on his shady company, then report back at 2300 hours. 

But now, he was stuck on a train heading to South London at three in the bloody morning, all because Director Coulson assumed that Gorkey was living with his wife. 

As it turns out, he’s not. 

Talking with his wife, Julia, he discovered that her husband has many mistresses, and she is only married to him for the money she will inherit when he is inevitably assassinated by the Russian mafia. 

Only took eight drinks and two and a half hours to pry that out of her. 

So now, he was sitting in a seat towards the back of the London underground, making sure to keep an eye on Gorkey, who was two seats in front of him. 

When he got back, he was expecting at least a week off for this shit-hole of a mission.

He had been bouncing around London trying to figure this guy out, with no luck. 

But he had built up a minor reputation in the process, and he was invited to one of his mansions for the party he followed Gorkey from. 

The tube came to a stop, and a few people got on. He didn’t take notice of the civilians, he just kept looking at Richard. 

That is, until one of those civilians, plopped down right next to him. 

He looked up, and was met with a woman around his age with caramel colored hair, and equally dark eyes. 

She flashed him a quick smile, before returning to scrolling through her phone. 

He went back to watching the target, all while stealing glances at the beautiful girl sitting next to him. 

The tube driver announced that they were being delayed by something or other.

It had been long enough since he was riding everyday to get to Uni, that he could no longer understand the muffled voice as well as he could in his teenage years. 

“Just my luck.” He sighed, squeezing his eyes shut. 

“You can understand him?” The woman next to him asked. 

“Yeah I grew up here. Kinda.” 

“Kinda?” 

“It’s a long story.” 

“We have a while.” She persisted. 

He was becoming a little pissed. “My dad wasn’t great, so my and my mum moved here when I was twelve.” He glared at her coldly. She lowered her head, and he immediately felt awful for snapping. “Sorry long night.” He adjusted his position on the uncomfortable seat. 

“Bad date?” She still sounded a bit hesitant. 

He considered it. “Yep.” He felt bad for lying, but he was also a spy, working for a disavowed and now illegal agency. A white lie to a total stranger was the least of his worries. “How’d you guess?”

“Well, your whole suit and the hair-” She gestured to his hair which had what felt like a pound of gel in it, and was parted slightly to the side. If he was being honest, he couldn’t make up his mind about how he felt about it. And the suit for that matter, after the whole Framework incident, he was a bit twitchy, but when Coulson told him it was necessary, he leaned into the role of the man he once was. 

“- And I figured, you’re either a super spy, or you were coming back from a failed date.” She laughed at the ‘Super spy’ part, and he cringed. 

“Yeah. Super Secret Agent. Funny.” He was trying to sound playful, but the sleep deprivation mixed with the fact that she just said exactly what he was as a joke, he sounded a bit more bored and panicked. 

She threw a confused expression, obviously wanting him to elaborate, but he couldn’t. 

Gorkey had already looked at him three times since this girl sat next to him, and a blown cover wasn’t something he could handle.

Of course he could handle it, but he really, really didn’t want to. 

“So, what about you? Why the midnight train?” 

“Date.” She nodded and stared straight ahead. 

“Lemme guess… It went up in flames?” He smiled at her. 

“Wow. You really are a super spy.” She chuckled. 

“Yeah. So what went horribly wrong? Maybe your misfortune will distract me from mine.” 

“Well it was this guy, Milton, and he talked about himself the whole time! I felt like I was an interviewer, except I wasn’t asking questions. It was awful. The only thing he knows about me is that my name is Jemma Simmons, and I’m a biochemist.” 

“Really?” He asked, surprised to be on a first name basis with a gorgeous and smart woman that he was never going to see again. 

“Yeah. What about you? It’s only fair.” 

He shot a nearly invisible look to Gorkey. “Ian Findlay.” That was his alias for this mission. He felt even worse than he did about his fake date. “ I’m an engineer.” At least that was true. 

“Really?” She turned fully towards him, “Where do you work?” 

He pondered for a second, before coming up with something on the spot, “Transia Corporation. Yeah, their tech was necessary for my old boss, and then I just gravitated over there.” She stared wide eyed at him. 

“No way! I work there!” Shit “I’m surprised I’ve never seen you! The bio and tech departments work together all the time. 

He needed another quick fib out of this, “Yeah, I’m fairly new, actually, and I commute. I usually do online meetings, but this one was crucial. Just me and the big man.” He smiled at her, once again, but this time it was fake. 

“Where do you commute from?” Christ she loved asking questions didn’t she?

Jemma reminded him of himself during his first year at S.H.I.E.L.D. . Wide-eyed and curious. That is until he learned the tough way, that asking unnecessary questions more often than not, either got you killed, or got you information that you really didn’t want to know. 

“Glasgow. I’ve been up for a few weeks, but I kinda hid that from my boss. Wanted a minute off.” She nodded in agreement. 

The tube moved again, and after fifteen minutes of awkward conversation, Richard finally walked out of the train at one of the stops. 

Fitz waited a moment, until he knew that Gorky wouldn’t see him exiting the train. He stood and mumbled a goodbye to Jemma. 

It wasn’t until he got off, did he realize that Jemma was following him. He turned back to her, “Are you stalking me?” He joked. 

She pretends to be offended for a moment. “No, this is my stop.” He raised an eyebrow at her. “I’m visiting my friend Callie.” 

“Ah.” He shoved his hands in his pocket. “Well I’ll see you ar-” His phone buzzed. He retrieved it from the backpack he was carrying. It was from Coulson. 

[Coulson] “Plant surveillance on him, and report back to the rendezvous from yesterday.”

Fitz rolled his eyes. 

[Fitz] “Done. Do you peg me for a level One agent?”

[Coulson] “I got rid of levels. And no, I don’t.”

[Fitz] “Good, so, same rendezvous?”

[Coulson] “Yep. Mack’ll be there with the car.” 

[Fitz] “Yeah, k, be there in a jiff.”

He put his phone away, and turned back to Jemma. “I have to go. Maybe I’ll see…” He trailed off, seeing behind him in the reflection of one of the train's mirrors.

“EVERYBODY GET DOWN!” He pushed Jemma behind a pillar just in time. Half a dozen shots fired from Richard’s gun that had been pointed at the back of his head. Dealing with a blown cover it was, then

He heard screams, and he prayed that know one had gotten hit. 

He poked his head out to scan. No bodies, no blood. Yet.

“What the hell?!” Jemma yelled. 

“Be quiet, and keep your head down.” He said, not looking at her. He fished his gun from his bag. He reloaded it and wished he still had his ICER. It was taken at the party. 

“You have a gun?!” 

“Please shut up.” He breathed. 

Another round of fire pingged around the platform. 

He waited until he knew that Gorky was reloading himself. He moved swiftly out of his hiding place, and got a clean shot in Richard’s leg. 

He misread the timetable though, and in retaliation, Gorkey shot one last bullet. It hit him in between his shoulder and collarbone.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Fitz is shot, and Jemma is caught in the middle of chaos. ... Or at least she suspects.

He fell to the ground. His hand reflexively covered the wound. He had handled worse, and made it through. He was about to stand up to ring Coulson for a team sent straight to him, when Jemma appeared by his side. 

“Oh my God.” She removed his hand, and examined the bullet whole. “Oh my God.”

“Jemma, you need to get out of here. It isn’t safe.”

“What the bloody blue Hell just happened?!” She demanded. They were the only ones left on the platform, everyone else had used their brains, and ran away. All the worse. 

“Jemma you need to leave. I’ll be fine, but the police are coming, and you need to go.”

“There is no way you are going anywhere. You’ve been shot!”

“I’ve handled worse.” He winced as he sat up. 

“Oh fine. If you insist on walking, I’m at least going to help you.” She rose from where she was crouching and reached a hand out to Fitz. He took it, knowing that he would need it. “Now tell me where the hell we are going.” 

Fitz stumbled over to where his bag was laying, and grabbed his phone. He rang HQ. 

“Agent Fitz to HQ, I need a med team, or at least some transport with a first aid kit.” It hurt to breathe and talk. He tried to apply more pressure, but unless he wanted to keep his dinner in him, he resisted. 

“Agent Morse speaking, med team on the way. What the hell happened?” Bobbi’s voice sounded more worried than he had heard it in a while. 

“Blew my cover, I couldn’t tell you how. The bastard went for the most lethal option. Open fire with a dozen civilians around. To my knowledge none are hurt.” He explained. 

“Then why do you need a med team?”

“Vigilanties aren’t civilians.” He laughed.

“Oh God, where?”

“Shoulder, far range. I don’t know the gun, but he got away. Sorry.”

“Don’t be sorry. Teams three minutes out.” 

“So you're a spy?” Jema interrupted. 

“Who’s that?” Bobbi asked. 

“Jemma, Hi sorry, um I’m a doctor a-”

“Oh thank God. Keep him conscious until we get there Doctor Jemma. We are tracing your location.” Before Jemma or Fitz could respond, Bob hung up. 

“So… Ian isn’t your name, you weren’t on a date, and when I was joking about you being a secret agent, you were uncomfortable because it was true?” She said slowly. 

“That’s about the gist.” Fitz collapsed against the pillar. 

“What is your name then?” 

“Leopold Fitz. I wanted to tell you, but the guy who could apparently easily kill me was sitting a few seats up, and he knew me as Ian Findlay. I’m sorry.” 

“Ah, I see. So you work for who?”

“Uhm, I actually can’t tell you that. You already know too much. They’ll make it the least painful the less you know.” Her eyes widened and she scooted back. “Th- Oh dear Lord- I’m sorry that was a joke. A- A pretty a-awful o-one at- at -at t-that…” His eyes began to flutter shut, and Jemma sprang into action.

“Stay with me, hey!” She tapped his cheek, but with no avail, he stopped moving. “No no no no no no no no no no no! Dammit Fitz, stay alive!” She yelled. She checked if he was breathing.

He wasn’t

Just then a team burst in. They had S.H.I.E.L.D logos on their clothing. The surrounded Fitz, and Jemma backed away. 

“H- He stopped breathing just before you came.” Tears were slicking her face, and she didn’t even realize they were. “I’m sorry.”

“It’s okay, you did everything you could. He still has a pulse but you need to come with us. It isn’t safe, and now that psycho knows what you look like. And we need to ask you what you saw and rule you out as a suspect” A girl with just above shoulder length dark brown hair said, ushering Jemma to one of their cars. 

She slid into the backseat with no resistance. 

-

The drive was quiet for most of it, until Jemma spoke up. 

“So S.H.I.E.L.D…”

“Yeah we aren’t official- anymore at least. We’re actually most wanted in the USA.” The girl replied. “I’m Daisy, by the way.”

“Jemma Simmons.”

“That’s another reason we need to bring you in. You knew two of our agents' names, and you could confirm where we were working with the police. They would catch us in a flash.” 

“Mm.”

“It’s not true, by the way. All of it. Everything you're hearing about us.”

“So Director Mace isn’t dead?”

Daisy looked distantly out the window. “No, he is.”

“I can live with that. I never liked him.”

“I didn’t either. I felt horrible when he died. We all did, especially Fitz.” Daisy said the last part quieter. 

“Ah.” 

“I’m sorry. About the whole open shooting thing. That shouldn’t have happened. We’ll get you some counseling when we reach HQ.” 

“So, where is ‘HQ’ “ Jemma asked

“Under a lighthouse.” Daisy said, meeting her eyes in the rear-view mirror.

“No, I mean like WHERE where?” Jemma corrected. 

“Oh, Um it’s in the U.S., Rivers End. You wouldn’t believe some of the stories I could tell you.”

“Can’t wait.” Jemma said, trying to sound enthusiastic, but in reality, she just sounded confused. 

-

They landed a jet they had boarded after the hour long drive, in the water.

Well, in an opening in the water. 

It was all very surreal.

There were eight people crammed into the elevator, and one of them was on a stretcher. That one was Fitz. 

“How far does this thing go?” Jemma asked, breaking the awkward silence that had settled. 

“Um, I don’t know.” 

Jemma turned to look at Daisy, “You don’t know? How do you… Not know?” 

“We’ve never gone all the way down, and we don’t have floor plans.” Daisy shrugged. 

Jemma went back to staring straight ahead.

What the hell had she just gotten herself into?


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> They get back to the base, and hunter is a dumbass.

When Fitz came too, he was back in the lighthouse. 

He glanced around taking in that he was in medical, but instead of Dr. Anderson running tests, it was a familiar figure. 

“Jemma?” He croaked. His voice was rough and it hurt to talk even more than it did however long ago. 

“Don’t talk. You need to rest.” He pushed himself up on the pillows so he was partially sitting up. 

Only now, in a less hectic scene, did he really realize that she had a lovely Sheffield accent that had melted slightly into a London tone. 

She pushed down on his shoulders slightly, pulling a groan from him. 

“Ouch. Y’know for a Doctor, you're quite reckless with your very fragile patient.” He complained. She rolled her eyes in response. 

“Whatever you say, Mystery Man.” She clicked a few buttons on a tablet. 

Then it registered, and Fitz shot up, wincing at the movement, “Why the hell are you here?!” 

“They needed me for questioning and for a witness, and your Doctor was rubbish at what he was doing, so I took over.” She looked down, “It’s my fault anyway.”

“No it isn’t.” 

“Yes it is.”

“No.” He said, sternly. “It was my fault. I blew my cover, and-” He nodded to his wound, “- and I got the karma. I’m just glad that no one else got hurt. I can handle a bullet wound.”

“How?” Jemma asked. 

“What?” 

“How can you just handle a gunshot in your shoulder?”

“I’ve been through alot.” He let his mind wander, but only for a moment. He didn’t want to think about anything. Thoughts are painful, and they do no good. For anyone. 

“I- I don’t get it. ‘Going through a lot’ doesn’t mean you're invincible, or immune to bullets. What the hell happened that-”

“I have two lifetimes of training under my belt.” He interrupted, keeping his eyes tightly shut.

“...What does that even mean?” 

“It’s hard to explain.” He said, finally opening his eyes. 

“Are you-” She lowered her voice a little, “Are you an Inhuman.” 

He glanced around, and leaned in, “...Why are you whispering?” She moved back, and her face flushed slightly. 

“I- I have no idea. It’s just, I don’t know how people feel about them.”

“Who drove you in?”

“Daisy.” Jemma crossed her arms.

“She can cause earthquakes.” Jemma’s eyes widened. “So, yeah, we’re pretty okay with Inhumans. And, no, I’m not Inhuman.”

“Then how-” 

“Maybe I’ll tell you one day, but right now, I’ve known you for like, five hours, and my mom still doesn’t know what happened.” He gave her the sweetest smile she’d ever seen. 

“I’m sorry.” 

“Don’t be.” 

“Okay. Sor-” She cut herself off at Fitz’s raised eyebrow. “Okay.” 

A woman walked into the room. She had a stoic expression, with the exception of her brows, which were knitted together in worry. 

“Fitz.” The woman said. He gave her an awkward smile, and she rolled her eyes. “You’re an idiot.”

“Yep.”

“Glad you're okay.” 

“Thanks.” Fitz smiled slightly. 

“Sorry, you are?” Jemma asked. May turned to her. 

“I’m Melinda May. You’re…?”

“Jemma. Simmons. I was at the station with Ia- Fitz.” 

“Nice to meet you Jemma.” May looked at Fitz again, “You used your cover name?” She asked, glaring at him. 

“He was five feet away and whispering would’ve been suspicious.” Fitz crossed his arms, and immediately regretted it. 

“You’ll be back in the field in a few weeks.” 

“Why don’t you give some of that Kree blood?” He waggled his eyebrows, and May shook her head slowly. 

“Too soon. You wouldn't want me going around telling everyone about the Framework?” His eyes widened, and he shook his head widely. “Exactly, and sorry.” Then she walked out. 

“The Framework?” Jemma repeated. 

He considered not answering. What the hell, this woman was thrown into the Agency from hell, she deserved to know what our latest major issues were. 

“Virtual reality in which I was widely evil and rich. Horrible person. I dated a robot. But Daisy and Coulson managed to get me out… Forced me out. Not that I’m complaining. Quite the opposite, really. I- I hated it. I mean, not when I was in there, obviously. I didn’t remember the real world, so I thought they were just some crazy S.H.I.E.L.D runaways. Which they actually technically are, but I am too, so. Anyw-” He rambled.  
She cut him off.  
“Well that sounds…”

“Like I’m a psycho?” He finished. 

“No, I’m really just confused, ho- Wait is that what you meant by ‘two lifetimes’?” 

“...Yeah.” 

“Oh. Well that’s… two lifetimes.”

Fitz’s phone rang from the side table, and he snatched it before Jemma could. 

After a brief conversation, ending in a curse from Fitz, he pushed the covers off, and began to pull the medical equipment he was hooked to. 

“Hey! Wh- no, you can't leave!” Jemma walked around and tried to stop him, with no luck. “What are you doing?” 

“I need to go find Hunter.” He answered simply. He stood up, winced slightly, but kept going. 

“Hunter?” She followed him. Because she was a good doctor. A good doctor who doesn’t leave her extremely attractive patient with a gunshot wound, to walk around alone. 

“He’s an idiot. Named Hunter.” He continued walking. 

After five minutes, Fitz burst into the control room. There were six people already there, lecturing a scrawny man with scruff and a ‘God Save the Queen’ shirt under a brown leather jacket. 

“Hunter!” FItz shouted. “I get myself a bloody shot, and you somehow let the police follow you TO RIVERS END!?” 

“...Yeah.” Fitz ran a hand down his face, then joined them at the table. Jemma stood in the doorway, unsure if she could go back to medical or not. The continued arguing, Jemm, tuning it out. 

When she was on the verge or deciding not to encroach on their private meeting, a blonde woman waved her over. She walked to the table uncertainty. 

“Is Hunter an idiot?” The same blonde woman asked. 

“Uhm, who is Hunter?” She asked. 

“Sorry. I’m Bobbi, He’s Hunter-” She pointed to the man they had been yelling at, “- Daisy, Coulson, May, and you already know Fitz.” She winked at her, and Fitz made an embarrassed noise. 

“Um, okay. ‘Is Hunter and idiot’ Well I- I don’t really know anything about him.” She twisted her hands behind her. 

“Hunter, say something. Anything.” Daisy requested. 

“Okay.” He was English too, “I can drink whenever I want, because it’s always past five somewhere.” Everyone groaned at something he had obviously said before. 

“Okay, yeah, I think he is an idiot. Sorry.”

“Ouch. I’m very hurt.” He said sarcastically. 

“I do like your shirt.” 

He pondered what she said, “Okay, she’s fine.”

“Do I get to sit with you guys at lunch?” Jemma joked,

“Yep. Welcome to hell. Enjoy the stay.” Fitz said.

“We have Captain Crunch!” Daisy added enthusiastically. 

“I’ll brief you in an hour.”

“Ah, okay, so, I’m all in, then?” Jemma clarified. 

“Even if you didn’t want to, you can’t leave. You know too much.”

Both Fitz and Jemma snickered at that. 

“What? Am I missing something? That was a threat. I was threatening you. Joking threat, but a threat all the same.” Daisy looked between the two

“Oh, nothing, it's just something I said on my deathbed.” Fitz replied, biting back a smile. 

“One hour.” May reminded. 

Daisy whispered “Smitten.” just loud enough that Jemma could make it out. He blushed and playfully shoved her away.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Melinda May, being stoic and worried at the same time. Hunter being his classic self, and Jemma and Fitz being already in love with each other... will it last though?????
> 
> Yeah, but let's keep along for the journey! THANK YOU SO SO SO SO SO MUCH FOR READING!!


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> !! THIS ISN'T A CHAPTER!!

PSA:

I have decided, that in this fic, the space stuff did happen, because I realized that I wanted to reference stuff that only happened because of the whole space stuff, (fitz's prison time, because the government might just be in the next chapter, you'll never know... until I post it lmao) and I didn't want to have a whole complex new reason for why ONLY Fitz went to jail, other that the original reason. 

So yeah, <3333333

/ Also: Also Bobbie was the lead biology person until Jemma got there, so she did the ICER w/ Fitz instead, and she helped them get back from the future!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry if you wanted another one, though I doubt you did, but the next chapter IS in the works, I just wanted to say this!
> 
> See you all next time I post! (which will most likely be in a hot second, because we have mid-finals shit at school, so that's going to take some time out of my free time! 
> 
> <3


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Debrief, slight double entendres, and a lil plOT tWIst   
> That's what's in this chapter :)

Jemma sat down on the metal chair in a holding cell, why they did debriefs here, she couldn’t tell. 

“So,” May started, “Can you tell me what happened, Fitz?” 

“Well, I was following Gorky on the train, and sat a little ways away to maintain my cover. Then a few stops away from where he got off, Jemma got on, there were a few other seats open on the train. She sat next to me, and was scrolling through her phone uh… she was on lingerie website, a-”

“How did you know that?!” Jemma interrupted. 

“You forget that it’s my job to do that kinda stuff. You never know when a traitor is sitting next to you, so, yes. I looked.” Jemma’s ears pinkened, but she willed the rest of the blush away. 

“Anyway. She talked to me a little, then Gorkey got out, so I got out. Jemma did too, because she was going to visit her friend Callie. She was talking to me when I got Coulson’s text, then I saw Gorkey with a gun to my head in the train's window, shoved her to the side. And the rest was a blur of bullets and blood.” May nodded, then turned to Jemma. 

“You?”

“Same story.” She said, not in a big mood to talk, esspecally after Fitz just told this random woman that she was on a rather embarrassing website. Well, she was a random woman to Jemma. 

After May half-heartedly looked over what she had written, they were excused to leave.

-

“This is your bunk.” Mack said, opening the door to a decent size bedroom, with a bathroom branching from it. “Fitz is on the other side, so if you need anything, give him a shout.”

“Shouldn’t he be in medical?”

“Medical is needed a lot, so no one can stay there long.” Mack explained. “Plus, he can handle a bullet. He’s handled a lot worse. We all have.” 

“Why do people keep saying that? What could possibly be worse than getting shot?” Jemma wondered aloud. 

“You should ask him. I’m not one to share tramas. Especially if they don’t belong to me.” With that, Mack turned and left.

She knew he didn’t mean it to hurt her, but she still felt a little stung. She was just trying to visit a friend, when she was taken out of her life, and thrown into an impossibly complex one. She wasn’t trying to be pushy or nosey, but she wanted to know what was going on. She had to know if she was going to help them. 

She fixed the pillows on the bed so they were standing straight. She checked out the bathroom. There was shampoo, conditioner, body wash, face wash. There were two white towels along with tissues.   
She opened a box that was sitting on the sink. Tampons, pads, condoms. Condoms? Why were there condoms? Were people just screwing around, here at the Strategic, homeland… S.H.I.E.L.D. 

She took the box, and left her room to ask Fitz. 

After she knocked, it took a few minutes for him to answer. 

When he did, she held up the box. He stared at her. 

After a few moments, he finally speaks. “I’m flattered, truely, but I was just shot.” He laughs. 

She squints her eyes, trying to decipher what he just- “Oh my God, no!” She yelled. “Why would you even think that!?” 

“You knock on my door, when I answer, you’re just standing there. Holding a box of condoms. See how that could be interpreted.” He teased. She rolled her eyes. 

“Okay well that’s not what I meant. I meant, why do people even need these?” 

He tilted his head. “Well, when boys and girls love each other-”

“Stop! I know why!” She interrupted. “I’m not six!”

“Your parents gave you the sex talk at… six?” His brows were knitted together. 

“Yes, anyway, why do people need these. Here?”

“Well our job is very dangerous, and sometimes, you just need a little pick-me-up.” 

She made a face, “Really?”

“No. Some people here are in relationships. Mack and Elena, Hunter and Bobbi.” 

“Oh. Sorry if I made you uncomfortable.” She said quietly. 

“Nonsense. This was a fun interaction.” He smiled softly. 

She looked down at his wound. His knuckles had gone white from clutching the door frame. She put two and two together. 

“Ugh, Fitz!” She shouted, pushing him back into his room. 

“What?!” He asked. 

“You're in pain!” 

“No!” He said, but failed to fight back a wince as he walked. She continued shoving him lightly, until his knees hit the bed, knocking him over. He flopped onto the bed with an “oof”. She sat next to where he was. 

“You’re a terrible doctor.” He said flatly, and she crooked an eyebrow. “You just assaulted me.” She chuckled and moved his shirt so she could see where she put stitches. 

“It’s looking okay. You’ll need to be on bed rest for-” She was cut off by his bark of laughter. “What?” She glared at him. 

“Nothing just, you should go tell Coulson that.” She only stared at him, “Okay, okay. Shutting up now.” 

“Good.” She said, still, she smiled at him. 

She stayed in his room, and talked for what felt like five minutes, but according to the clock, it was more like three hours.

\- Like four hours later - 

An alarm above the door went off, startling Jemma so much, she almost flung her book across the room.

She burst out of her room to see agents running down the hall, one of which she recognized. 

“Daisy! What on earth is going on!?” The woman stopped short, and turned to her. 

“Hunter forgot to check that the government didn’t tail us. And as it turns out they did. Follow me!” As quickly as she stopped, she started again. Jemma followed haistilly. 

They reached a room with gear in it. Daisy hands her a vest that she guesses is bulletproof, along with a gun. 

Jemma stares at the weapon, not taking it. When Daisy gives her a confused look, Jemma explains, “I’ve never shot a gun, and I’d hate to hurt anyone I shouldn’t. Or should. I- I don’t think I can do that.” 

Daisy smiles, and points to a blue area above the trigger, “It’s an ICER. Non-lethal. We’ve probably all been shot with one. Fitz and Bobbi made it. Dendro-something. Anyway, you won’t hurt anyone. There’s no lasting effects, except for a rare and minor concussion from the fall.” 

Jemma stares wide eyed in awe. She accepts the ICER, and then slips on the vest. 

Daisy looks over her when she’s ready. “You look sexy like that.” Jemma looks down at what she’s wearing, and Daisy adds, “Not in that way… Well maybe a little, bit I wouldn’t steal you away from Fitz.” She winks. 

“Uh, What? We- That’s- No that wouldn’t-”

“Whatever you say, but it took me a year for him to even tell me that he only had one parent. It took you a few hours and a bullet for his whole life's story.”

“Maybe I’m just very trustworthy.” Jemma jokes. 

“Maybe.” Daisy picked up her own ICERS, “Okay, out of time, lets go.”

They ran together to the waterfall entrance, where a military plane was landing. 

An older woman with blonde hair and a General's jacket walked out with two guards behind her, and Fitz - who in her purely medical opinion, shouldn’t be out of bed - let out a groan at the recognition.

Coulson was upfront, and everyone else was a few steps back, pointing at their guns at the girl. 

Coulson turned at Fitz’s noise of annoyance. “Who is she?”

“General Hale. She was the one who would integrate me when I didn’t have any information on where the hell you were.” He responded, his face settling onto a deep scowl. 

Hale walked up to them, so she was only a few meters away. She held up her hands. “Coulson. I’m not armed. I just need you for some questioning.”

“Yeah, like you held Fitz for six months for some ‘questioning’ on things he knew nothing about.” Hunter bit back. 

Hale didn’t respond, so instead Fitz added, “Thanks for that, by the way.” 

General looked over all of them, zeroing in on Jemma. She mumbled something to the men behind her, and they pointed their guns at her. Jemma squeaked in response, and everyone looked between the weapons, and their latest member. 

She tried to hold her position, but her hands were so obviously shaking, and she just knew that pure, white fear was all over her face. 

“Newest recruit? I don’t know her, so you can either have Coulson come with me, or she is collateral damage.”

Everyone seemed to still for a moment, considering their options. 

Jemma made up her mid, already though. She was in a room full of people who helped others more than she had, and they would keep doing that. She should just let them- 

The clattering of metal on the floor startled everyone. When she looked at where the sudden noise had come from, Coulson had his hands up. 

“Phil.” May said as he began to walk forward. A single word obviously held much more meaning than they were letting on. He turned back, and smiled at May, then turned to the rest of the group, focusing on Jemma. 

“You just got here. And you saved Fitz. That means something.”

“But, Sir-” She started. 

“No. Jemma, you should get a chance to save the world.” He waited a beat, “And I’ll be back.” He whispered, so Hale wouldn't hear. 

With that, he strolled to Hale, and put his hands out, which were then binded by cuffs. 

They boarded the plane, and then left. 

Once they were out of view, Jemma sat down on the ground, letting out a breath she seemed to be holding since the gun was at her. She stared at where Coulson had departed, feeling guilty.

There was a hand on her shoulder. She looked up expecting Daisy or Fitz, who seemed to like her the best, though she might’ve just turned everything rubbish, but when she met the person's gaze, it was the opposite of who she expected. It was the woman who she was positive hated her now. 

May was looking straight where Jemma had been. 

“I’m sorry.” Jemma said, trying to keep herself together. Many of the other people that had been there had left, but Fitz, Daisy, Mack, Bobbi, and Hunter stayed.

“Don’t. Once Phil puts his mind to something, you can’t back him out of it… But he’ll come back. He always does.” 

The rest of the remaining team walked over to where they were. Jemma stood up, feeling a bit of weight lift off her chest. 

He’ll come back. Apparently he always does. This was a chance to make up for sitting on the sidelines throughout her life. A chance to do better. And she had people that would do it with her. 

Everyone was looking at the waterfall. Bobbi and Hunter to the left. Herself with May’s hand on her shoulder in the middle. Along with Fitz, who had gravitated to standing next to May. Daisy and Mack to the right. 

They were a team.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Today is my last day of mid-finals, and I managed to write this in between all the stress finishing essays 20 minutes before their due, so I hope you liked it!
> 
> It is kinda all over the place, and a little hectic, but so is SHIELD, so yeah
> 
> <3

**Author's Note:**

> I hooopeeeeeeee youuuuu likkkeeeeeeeddddddd ittttttttttt <33333


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